Mobile phones enabled with features for the disabled, coming soon

Technology has been evolving over the years and it should be accessible of all. To make it accessible by all, mobile phone manufactures agreed upon enhancing the features on their phones to assist customers with special needs and disabilities. A similar initiative for equality in education was taken by CRY with their Click Rights Exhibition for the visually impaired and sighted.

Changes for the disabled

After a recent review with stakeholders across the globe, manufacturers stated that they would be adding 15 more features to their voluntary reporting scheme for mobile phones. So, eventually this would aid those with limited vision, hearing, dexterity or cognition. As a part of the Global Accessibility Reporting Initiative (GARI) available online at www.mobileaccessibility.info, manufacturers will report changes on more than 110 mobile phone features.

Some of the new features to be reported on include whether a particular phone has:

An adjustable maximum volume control for hearing issues, a front facing camera for those with limited hearing to sign and also two-way video conferencing. Moreover, it also includes voice notes for those with short term memory loss problems.

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"These changes are a direct result of our discussions with users and groups around the world and will make it even easier for consumers to find a phone that will meet their individual needs," said Michael Milligan, Secretary General of the MMF.